Marbleized Polymer Clay Eggs

There I was, shopping for fake Easter eggs to decorate because I didn’t want to go through the trouble of blowing out real eggs and then experimenting with a design only to have it fail. And it occurred to me, people make things out of polymer clay, why not eggs? Is it because they’ll take forever to bake? Then by luck, I saw this beautiful post that hinted at curing polymer clay in the microwave. That sent me on a Google chase and some not-so-scientific experiments. The result? These marbleized polymer clay eggs.

So the first problem with big ol’ polymer clay eggs is that it’d take too long to bake in the oven, and if you over-bake it, apparently, it can discolor. I’ve never had a whole ton of success with polymer clay, hence this is really the first time I’m posting about it. The microwave method, as discussed in great detail here, is supposed to retain color better and can handle larger items. Full disclosure though, these eggs are not full-size eggs. Each one is about 1.5 to 2 inches big.

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Supplies:

Here’s what you do:

1. Take your polymer clay in whatever colors you choose and squish them together. Twist it, roll it, smush it until you get a marbleized pattern and roll it into a ball. Gently form an egg or teardrop shape.

2. Fill the quart container with water.

3. Microwave the container (without the eggs) for 3 minutes on high.

4. Once the water is heated, drop the eggs gently into the water. Don’t try to fit too many eggs in the pool.

5. Microwave the container (with the eggs) for 5 minutes on high.

6. Once the bell dings, open the door, let out the steam, make sure the container hasn’t exploded and your microwave isn’t destroyed. Then microwave for another 5 minutes.

7. Let the container cool completely before pouring the water away and drying the eggs.

8. Optionally, you can lightly sand the eggs in running water and glaze it for a bit of shine.

I admit, I was too chicken to try making bigger eggs. I wasn’t sure if 10 minutes in the microwave was overkill or if it was just enough, so I wasn’t going to try running the thing for 20 minutes to cure a bigger piece of clay. My microwave is indispensable right now and I can’t imagine the husband would be happy if we had to go out and get a new one this weekend.

Yes, there is a golden egg photobombing all the shots. I decided to paint one just for kicks because I really wanted my very own golden egg.

The color combinations for these eggs are pretty infinite and you can make them to match any Easter basket or daily house decor. And if you do make them bigger, let me know how it goes!

Comments

Thanks for this tutorial, Chi Wei! I use polymer clay for dollhouse miniatures and the pieces are tiny enough that they bake quickly. This is a great idea for larger pieces and I love the marbled eggs!